Campaign Locations

[Adm.Lee]

I played in an online game set in Congo/Zaire that centred around a PBY5A Catalina flying boat. Awesome fun

I also ran a Merc campaign with a Grumman Albatross, it was based in the Caribbean, but some of the missions were in the 2nd Biafran War from the Merc book.

Why, yes, Jimmy Buffett was popular in our circles in the mid-90s, why do you ask

[WallShadow]

That makes sense. Obviously since Christiansen is the captain, and even a player character of similar rank would not be able to just order her around, it would be possible support subject to DM desires or to party persuasion.

I can easily see the PCs showing their skill and smarts while being transported on Old Ironsides, lending a hand when the ship encounters boarders or an assault from small craft. Earning the Skipper's respect will also earn the PCs an unofficial "Friends of the Ship" status, and perhaps a chance to accompany her on a cruise or get an occasional free working passage as crew or ship's troops to her next port. This is assuming the players don't trip over themselves by trying to commandeer or capture the ship. BAD NEWS--the Captain has lots of very sneaky ways to permanently "correct" such behavior.

[ChalkLine]

'Gateway to the Spanish Main' was, in my view, one of those books that needed too many changes to make right.

- Using the USS Constitution with M2HBs instead of cannon Nah. Too silly

- A colony of US war veterans on Grenada Someone doesn't understand how poor most war vets are.

- The Reagan-Era 'Grenada Story' Long ago debunked.

Still, the idea of an island hopping campaign isn't a bad one.

A better ship is needed. The 'ships thread' here has plenty to choose from (I recommend the NOAA 'Rude'). Give it some 20mm autocannon and 12.7mm M2HB in gun tubs. Perhaps a 2B9 vasilek for fire support. (I'd allow the 82mm vasilek to fire NATO 81mm mortar bombs with shims. THey'd have odd fire characteristics compared to the normal 82mm) The boat has a Rigid Inflatable Boat for inshore missions and plenty of bunks for PCs. It also has a medical bay to allow for rapid healing of wounded PCs.

The people's of the area are widely varied and now with the internet data on them is easy to find. Sit back a bit and reimagine the place without hegemony from various powers.

[Olefin]

I also ran a Merc campaign with a Grumman Albatross, it was based in the Caribbean, but some of the missions were in the 2nd Biafran War from the Merc book.

Why, yes, Jimmy Buffett was popular in our circles in the mid-90s, why do you ask

The USN has one in East Africa FYI that a private owner had - and still has - he basically joined the USN so he could keep flying it (especially since the Navy didnt have anyone there who was qualified to fly it)

"East African Naval Air Patrol Group Provisional - Mombasa Airport, Pemba Airport
Manpower: 80 men
Aircraft: three P-3C Orion, one Grumman Albatross, two S-3 Vikings

This provisional group is a scratch team of aircraft from various squadrons to provide patrol and early warning. A small supply of sonar buoys is still available for them as well as four Harpoon missiles and twelve ASW torpedoes.

The Albatross was a private aircraft sold to the USN by its US expat owner/operator in exchange for a commission in the USN as an officer (he remains its pilot). "

[Enfield]

'Gateway to the Spanish Main' was, in my view, one of those books that needed too many changes to make right.

- Using the USS Constitution with M2HBs instead of cannon Nah. Too silly

- A colony of US war veterans on Grenada Someone doesn't understand how poor most war vets are.

- The Reagan-Era 'Grenada Story' Long ago debunked.

Still, the idea of an island hopping campaign isn't a bad one.

A better ship is needed. The 'ships thread' here has plenty to choose from (I recommend the NOAA 'Rude'). Give it some 20mm autocannon and 12.7mm M2HB in gun tubs. Perhaps a 2B9 vasilek for fire support. (I'd allow the 82mm vasilek to fire NATO 81mm mortar bombs with shims. THey'd have odd fire characteristics compared to the normal 82mm) The boat has a Rigid Inflatable Boat for inshore missions and plenty of bunks for PCs. It also has a medical bay to allow for rapid healing of wounded PCs.

The people's of the area are widely varied and now with the internet data on them is easy to find. Sit back a bit and reimagine the place without hegemony from various powers.

I like the USS Constitution. It's an interesting ship with an interesting history, and provides a fun way for the party to travel across the Atlantic. If you have a group that has some tall ship afficionadoes then it will bring joy to them.

Of course one does not have to. A submarine adventure could be done with the trilogy in game or it could be shifted to another location.

Your NOAA reference is funny to me, though, because I used that very NOAA ship in an adventure.

I suspect part of why the retired vets were used in the module was because it was an easy way to offer allies to PCs. On the other hand, simply having to retrieve NPCs does make sense. I have a cousin in law who studied in Grenada only 4 years ago. I would simply make it more like "Fist Full of Dollars" and have it mostly be islanders vs. islanders with perhaps a few foreigners acting as mercs thrown in. The party have two factions at war, and have to retrieve a small group of VIPs and avoid being shot at. They may be tempted by either side or they may simply dodge both sides or play them off against one another.

[Cdnwolf]

I ran a campaign that started in Vienna and ran down the Danube... sort of Pirates of the Danube that ended up with the players picked up by a Nuclear sub on a Mediterranean Cruise.

[swaghauler]

I ran a campaign that started in Vienna and ran down the Danube... sort of Pirates of the Danube that ended up with the players picked up by a Nuclear sub on a Mediterranean Cruise.

That would be cool. You could have the pirates "headquartered" on one of those "River Cruise Ships" built from barges.

I can hear John Pinnette (RIP) now... "If a boat doesn't have a casino and a restaurant, IT'S NOT SEAWORTHY! NEY, NEY!"

[Legbreaker]

I've actually stalled a bit on it due to lack of access to "Manual of Land Warfare. Part Two: Armour Training. Volume 1 Pamphlet NO 3: The Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment"

Might finally have a lead on this. Tracked a copy to a collection listed on a website based in Melbourne - no idea where the physical copy is actually located, but I really only need (and want) a scan of it.
If I can get my grubby hands on it an ANZAC sourcebook incorporating forces deployed to SE Asia, Korea and Cypress (apparently there was a UN contingent of peacekeepers there circa 1996-97 according to a colour plate in the NATO book) just might be possible.

[unkated]

If I can get my grubby hands on it an ANZAC sourcebook incorporating forces deployed to SE Asia, Korea and Cypress (apparently there was a UN contingent of peacekeepers there circa 1996-97 according to a colour plate in the NATO book) just might be possible.

Cyprus has hosted a UN contingent (UNFICYP) since 1964:

The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) is a United Nations peacekeeping force that was established under United Nations Security Council Resolution 186 in 1964 to prevent a recurrence of fighting following intercommunal violence between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, to contribute to the maintenance and restoration of law and order and to facilitate a return to normal conditions. The current force commander is Major General Mohammad Humayun Kabir (Bangladesh), (UNFICYP) Force Commander of United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus.[1]

Following the 1974 Greek Cypriot coup d'tat and the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) extended and expanded the mission to prevent the dispute turning into war, and UNFICYP was redeployed to patrol the United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus and assist in the maintenance of the military status quo. Since its establishment, the force has also worked in concert with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and representatives of the two communities to seek an amicable diplomatic solution to the Cyprus dispute.

Initially, UNFICYP consisted of military and civilian contingents drawn from Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Canada, Sweden, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. However, over its long history the force has been the subject of various UNSC resolutions and reorganisations, and currently comprises contingents from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Canada, Croatia, El Salvador, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Peru, Serbia, Slovakia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

So, there were at one point 2-300 Australians in Cyprus. In addition to troops, there are also some civilian police officers.


Or did you just leak that there are covert contingents of Australian troops in various cypress swamps across the southern US

Hmmm. Have the FBI look for patterns of beer theft...

Uncle Ted

[Legbreaker]

Australian's drinking the swill that passes for US beer Are you INSANE!
No, more likely to be raiding whiskey distilleries.

[rcaf_777]

Cyprus has hosted a UN contingent (UNFICYP) since 1964

I wonder which nations are going to have troops available for Peacekeeping once things kick off in Europe. The UK has Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus so it will have a always have presence on the island.

[Olefin]

Australian's drinking the swill that passes for US beer Are you INSANE!
No, more likely to be raiding whiskey distilleries.

always said there should have been subplots in the Mad Max movies where there are gangs fighting for control of whats left of the pre-war liquor supplies - home brew gets old pretty quick

[WallShadow]

Australian's drinking the swill that passes for US beer Are you INSANE!
No, more likely to be raiding whiskey distilleries.

Or forming a canton around one to rebuild it.
Hey, think of all the necessary components--clean water, grain supplies, sugar, woodworking for the barrels, carefully-controlled distillation. This would require a fair stay at the site.
Not to mention the by-products getting the thing online would provide:
Distilled water.
Pure Ethyl Alcohol (medicinal/industrial uses)
Methyl Alcohol (fuel)
Second-stage waste heat (used to keep the wort/must at proper temps, excess could be provided for small fee to neighboring buildings for climate control.)
Sour corn mash (excellent growth medium for antibiotics)
Wood working, with barrels as the main thrust.
Local employment and cooperation.
Raise local economic conditions.
Provide training cadre for Local Defense forces.
Encourage trade and mutual defense amongst neighboring communities.(protecting trade routes and convoying merchants' shipments)
Improved Microbiological testing (at first to improve yeast cultures, later to be taught for local medical testing)

[ChalkLine]

I wonder which nations are going to have troops available for Peacekeeping once things kick off in Europe. The UK has Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus so it will have a always have presence on the island.

My Europe campaign was based on all the 'others' like Australians and so on who were peacekeepers or embassy guards

[.45cultist]

Australian's drinking the swill that passes for US beer Are you INSANE!
No, more likely to be raiding whiskey distilleries.

Seeking out micro brewed IPA's could be an adventure.